Hurricane Karen (2019/Farm)
NOTICE: This is in no way based on real life storms - the storms listed here are entirely fictional for the year, and do not represent the season in the physical world. Please be guided. 'Hurricane Karen '''is one of the costliest storms on record. It is the worst storm to strike Puerto Rico since Maria of 2017, and worst to hit the East Coast since Chris of 2018. Puerto Rico sustained catastrophic damage from Karen, with nearly every structure on the island damaged or destroyed. Surrounding islands were also dealt a devastating blow, with reports of flooding, downed trees, and damaged buildings, and already decimated buildings damaged by Maria. Haiti and other parts of Lesser Antilles also suffered catastrophic damage. The islands' electric grid was devastated, leaving all residents without power. Many structures were leveled, while floodwaters trapped thousands of citizens. The United States National Guard, Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and other like units worked to administer aid and assist in search and rescue operations. In South Carolina, Karen caused tremendous damage in the area, blowing out many establishments and leaving most of the state without power. Georgia and North Carolina states also suffered heavy damage. Total number of deaths are estimated at 1,420, 1,000 in Puerto Rico, 355 in Dominica and the rest of Lesser Antilles and the rest from United States. Total number of damages are amounted at $243 billion (2019 USD), causing it to become the costliest hurricane ever recorded. Meteorological History On September 11, the NHC began monitoring a tropical wave southwest of Cape Verde. The disturbance moved west, organizing into a tropical depression on September 12 and Tropical Storm Karen a day later. On a west-northwest course, Karen undergoed a rapid intensification on September 14, Maria strengthened winds from 80 mph (130 km/h) to 160 mph (260 km/h), thus reaching Category 5 strength. Karen eventually reached peak winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) late on September 15. On September 20, the eyewall of Karen struck the easternmost island of Hispaniola, and land interaction caused a significant degration in Karen's structure, and it weakened to a Category 2 hurricane while moving offshore. Growing in size and curving north, Maria regained Category 3 strength and maintained this intensity for several days before eventually restrengthening to Category 5 strength. It attained second peak winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and it made landfall near South Carolina. After weakening into tropical storm, the system turned east away from the United States, and ultimately evolved into an extratropical cyclone over the far northern Atlantic, on September 23. Retirement On spring of 2025, the name ''Karen is retired by the World Meteorological Organization due to heavy impact by the storm, and will never be used again for another Atlantic hurricane, It is replaced by Kelly for 2025 season. Category:Category 5 hurricanes Category:Costly Storms Category:Farm River's Creations Category:Deadly storms Category:Destructive storms Category:Caribbean storms Category:Retired storms Category:Intense Hurricanes Category:Intense Storms Category:2019 Category:Karen Category:Strong hurricanes Category:Strong stroms Category:Storms article